Intentional Approach to Toddler Colouring in

One of my newest late-night activities has been making colouring in books (for digital download and printed versions on Amazon) - not because I think it is some lucrative venture, but because I have a (now) 25-month-old who LOVES to colour in images.

In today's blog I want to show what is possible for a 24-month-old (that is how old she was when we did these), and also, I want to share my approach to colouring in that I believe adds value to the experience (and skills developed). Moreover, I want to share ways that I think we, as parents, can sometimes hold our kiddos back or create environments that are not as supportive for the to flourish with a particular interest.

Note

I share this as a nerdy intentional parent who has spent a great deal of time reading up about parenting and child development, and even more time pondering my parenting approach while observing and interacting with my kiddo. I like sharing for those who find this interesting and those who like to engage with this from a space of interest, reflection, pondering, and then walking away with what serves them and leaving what doesn't.

Please take what serves you and leave what doesn't.

What is possible & a bit of background

All of the images in this blog were done, without guidance, by my 24-month-old. I did not know 2 year olds could colour like this until I saw it. My initial assumption of my 2-year-old was that free hand drawing and scribbling would be her preference. I underestimated her motor skills and her concentration.

I've noticed from myself and other parents that we do often underestimate our children and by underestimating them we potentially limit the opportunities in their environment. I have other examples, but today I'll stick to colouring.

I am not sure why I first bought Elba a colouring book. It is interesting because I take a lot of inspiration from Montessori and Waldorf - both of which do not encourage colouring books and instead advocate for free drawing. Nonetheless, I did buy a colouring in book and to my surprise Elba loved it. From that day on she asked me daily for the colouring book rather than her easel or blank paper. When she finished her first colouring book she told me "It's all done. More book".

Having now purchased 2 colouring books for her I realized that these books were not exactly what I was looking for, for her.

Now while Montessori & Waldorf do not advocate for colouring books - I do see a lot of value in their principles and approach to children in terms of promoting focus and concentration, skill development, and removing things that interfere with children's wholesome development. I took inspiration from their principles to create a colouring book (I have since made more) and I think it makes a difference.

Intentional approach to colouring that makes a difference

Let's discuss some of the intentional things I did in the colouring book and why.

Realistic and recognizable images

One of the things that I didn't like much in all of the colouring books was the cartoon animals with overly large features. I specifically remember a day when Elba said to me "Rabbit" when the image in her colouring book was a caterpillar that was "cartooned up" (I don't think that's a phrase, but I think you get my meaning) that it did look like a rabbit.

Now I get that some parents roll their eyes at the emphasis on realistic and recognizable, and many downplay the importance (at times I am one of those). I do think it matters and makes a difference especially when kiddos are very young and are absorbing so much and learning so much.

Our approach to realistic and recognizable - We prioritize it, but I do not strictly adhere to it, because I like and appreciate some creative books. In our home Elba's toys are all realistic and recognizable. For example, I have spent months thrifting Schleich and Papo toy animals because of how beautifully detailed and realistic they are. We have an abundance of books with photographs rather than drawings. But we also have an abundance of books with creative artwork. Now that being said - with colouring books, like with toys, she is actively engaging and playing with it and therefore I would like to prioritize realistic and recognizable.

Here is a bit about Montesorri & Waldorf on the importance of realistic and recognizable objects in a child's environment

Montessori and Waldorf educational philosophies both emphasize the importance of realistic and recognizable objects in a child’s environment, though their approaches stem from slightly different principles. In Montessori, the focus is on fostering a child’s connection to the real world through hands-on, practical experiences that support independence and sensory development. Realistic items—like wooden toys, natural materials, and everyday tools—allow children to engage with their surroundings in a tangible, meaningful way, grounding their learning in reality rather than abstraction. Similarly, Waldorf education prioritizes recognizable, often handmade objects to nurture imagination and emotional growth, steering clear of overstimulation from artificial or fantastical elements. By surrounding children with simple, authentic items—like cloth dolls with minimal features or natural wooden blocks—Waldorf seeks to encourage creativity that emerges from within the child, rather than being dictated by external, overly detailed designs. Both philosophies agree that a child’s early years thrive on clarity, simplicity, and a deep connection to the familiar world around them.

In the book I created there are only realistic and recognizable images. This is quite difficult to do for animals in a colouring book because often realistic animals have too much detail for a colouring book for toddlers. Even with that challenge I would rather include less animals than settle since there is more than enough realistic and recognizable images worth including.

The value of realistic and recognizable

Including only realistic and recognizable images in a colouring book offers significant value for a toddler by aligning with their developmental needs and natural curiosity about the world. At this age, children are actively building their understanding of their environment, and familiar images—like animals, household objects, or simple nature scenes—provide a comforting sense of recognition that anchors their exploration. These relatable visuals help toddlers connect their colouring activity to real-life experiences, reinforcing vocabulary and cognitive associations as they name what they see, such as "dog" or "tree." Unlike abstract or fantastical designs, realistic images avoid overwhelming their still-developing imagination, allowing them to focus on the sensory joy of colouring while subtly enhancing fine motor skills and concentration. This approach, inspired by philosophies like Montessori and Waldorf, respects the toddler’s need for clarity and meaning, turning a simple activity into a bridge between play and learning.

And I really have seen and experienced this with Elba. I see how she relates and speaks of images in her colouring book to the real-world objects and animals.

Large minimal images with one focus per spread

My toddler colouring book has 1 focus point per spread to reduce distraction and promote concentration.

Using large, minimal images with one focus per spread in a toddler colouring book offers distinct benefits tailored to a young child’s developmental stage. Toddlers, typically between two and three years old, are refining their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, and a single, oversized image—like a bold apple or a simple fish—provides ample space for their still-steadying hands to colour without frustration. This minimalist design reduces visual clutter, helping them concentrate on one recognizable subject at a time, which aligns with their limited attention span and emerging ability to process information. By avoiding crowded or complex layouts, the book encourages a sense of accomplishment as they complete each page, boosting confidence and engagement.

Space for creativity

Colouring in, compared to free hand drawing, can require less imagination and creativity - but it is still very much a creative activity. To promote opportunities for more creativity I included images that can simply be coloured in, or designs and drawings can be added to them. Examples include clothing items that kiddos can draw designs on or simple shapes with nothing else on the page.

Removing distractions

Attention span is something we can practice and improve. We can also create environments for our kiddos that promotes their concentration and lessens distractions.

In my experience having one focus per sheet helps prevent kiddos from colouring in the image a bit and then jumping to a new page leaving many semi completed pages rather than sticking with the chosen image and completing it (for the most part).

As parents we can observe our children to see what aids in their concentration and focus and what is distracting. As an example, I no longer listen to audio books while making food, because during that time Elba is in her play space (open plan to the kitchen), and I believe that constant sound can be distracting. We listen to books or music at select times during the day rather than having sound on throughout the day.

I also don't interrupt her to ask her questions about her artwork. If she invites me to join, I join, but I don't break her focus with questions.

Similarly, but slightly different - her colouring is set up such that she can access it herself and I do not need to intervene. The books I created are 8.5 x 8.5 inches which is small enough for a toddler to handle well.

The crayons she uses are twist and therefore don't break, and very importantly they wash out of everything, so I don't step in if for example it has smudged onto her clothing or the rug. I highly recommend the Jar Melo Jumbo Crayons (we're on our second pack). While this has not happened, if she were to run around drawing on other things I would explain that the crayons are for drawing or colouring on the book only and that for my sanity (needing to clean it) and preserving our things I will remove the crayons if it appears that now isn't a good time for colouring or drawing.

I am not sure if this makes a difference, but I figured it was worth a try. Elba has a silicon arts & craft mat that I insist she use when doing art. We use this large one that fits well on her sensory table (it doesn't cover the table entirely but is nice and big).

Final notes

I create these books as a parent for my child and I observe her and her friends as they use them to see whether the intentional choices make a difference and how they are experiencing the books - so far so good!

I hope to also hear your experience of my colouring books!

Living seasonally - Spring

I've come to appreciate the importance of living in sync with the seasons and deeply appreciating each one and what it brings (note I live in Calgary Canada - harsh and long winters). Understanding and having an appreciation for the seasons in my opinion is valuable for children as well. For this reason, I have started creating a colouring book for each Season. We are currently entering Spring, and I just released the Spring Colouring Book.

It is available on Amazon and also on my shop (digital download).

As you can see even my covers for the books are designed to reduce visual clutter - simply neat artwork is on the front cover of all of the colouring books.

The Spring colouring book contains a few bold words, but the general book does not contain any words (if that is your preference).

The coloured in images in this blog are all from "A simple colouring book, perfect for toddlers".

Please note -

I am not crediting my child's colouring skills to the colouring in book. I am sharing the images because I didn't realize that a 24-month-old could have the focus to do this (I did assume they would have the motor skills to do it). I don't know to what extent this is her and to what extent the intentional parenting choices and approach have influenced this. I do believe the intentional choices and our approach matters (that's why we do it), but I also recognize that children are unique.

Please share your experience and your opinion in the comments below! I would love to hear from you.

Carmen

Hi, I’m Carmen! I’m a South African living in Calgary, Canada, where I’m a full-time mom to my toddler, Elba, and a homemaker. I’m also an Employment Relations Specialist with my own small consulting business. I approach everything intentionally, always learning new skills and hobbies, and seeking ways to create a more wholesome, healthy life for myself and my family. Thanks for visiting my little corner—I’m happy to share it with you!

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